Ampulla incorporating an injection syringe



June 25, 1963 F. STAUFFER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'IG.2

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' AMPULLA INCORPORATING AN INJECTION SYRINGE Filed June 7, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Flt-3.3 PIC-3.4-

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FERDINAND STAUFFEQ ATTORNEYS June 25, 1963 F. .STAUFFER 3,094,989

AMPULLA INCORPORATING AN INJECTION SYRINGE Filed June 7. 1961 I 4 Sheets-Sheet s 55555:: 55.2 =1 I 0 3 we VIII .wv. M (\sg FIGE IN VE N TOR FER D/NANO STAUFFER ATTOR NE Y5 'June 25, 19 3 F. STAUFFER AMPULLA INCORPORATING AN INJECTION SYRINGE Filed June 7. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 10

4 ,4 lilla'lllll INVENTOR! FERDINAND smuFFEfi 7 4% audTM ATTORNEYS United States Patent AMPULLA INCORPGRATHJG AN INJECTION SYRINGE Ferdinand Stauifer, Lucerne, Switzerland, assignor to Internationale Treuhand A.G., Basel, Switzerland, a Swiss company Filed lune 7, 1961, Ser. No. 115,470 Claims priority, application Switzerland June 10, 1M0 12 Claims. (Q1. 128-218) Various embodiments of injection syringes are known, which are incorporated in ampullae. The requirements which are to be met by such arrangements are of ditferent natures and hitherto no completee solution has been proposed, which is satisfactory from all standpoiuts. Said requirements may be summed up as follows:

It is necessary for the arrangements to be obtained in mass production and, chiefly, they should also be simple and foolproof. Furthermore, their size and weight should be as reduced as possible. The possibility of retaining in a sterile condition the liquid to be injected in such a device should also be ensured. The hollow needle should not appear to the view of the patient who is to be subjected to the injection before the actual injection is pro duced, so as to reduce as much as possible his apprehension. Lastly, the injection should be performed speedily and, as far as possible, in a painless manner, possibly through the patients garments.

The service of the arrangements proposed hitherto is generally intricate. Such prior arrangements are also too heavy and toobulky. The injection is performed at the same time as the engagement of the needle, which requires a large expenditure of energy and is painful, since the liquid to be injected is retained at the tip of the needle before injection and the liquid mass thus formed tears the patients flesh at the point of injection, in spite of the capillary size of the needle tip and this leads readily to a bleeding and, consequently, to the appearance of bluish spots on the skin. Lastly, in certain known arrangements, the needle projects permanently and is fully apparent to the patients view.

The present invent-ion has for its objects an ampulla incorporating an injection syringe, so that the liquid to be injected contained inside the ampulla, may be injected directly without any further aid, according to an intramuscular or to a subcutaneous procedure, while remaining in conformity with the strictest prescriptions of practitioners who require that the introduction of the hollow needle may be performed under dry conditions, the actual injection of liquid being performed no'longer simultaneously with said introduction, but immediately afterwards.

The problem underlying the present invention is solved by the fact that the body of the ampulla which is advantageously made of synthetic material and contains the liquid to be injected, includes a hollow guiding cylinder and an extension rigidly connected with said guiding cylinder, which latter carries slidingly a piston provided with a central bore inside which is slidingly carried in its turn a rod carrying a hollow needle, while a sleeve in the shape of a cartridge, is adapted to slide over the guiding cylinder. An elastic securing system is associated with the needle-carrying rod, while a spring is associated with the piston without being normally allowed to act on the latter by reason of the presence of a locking memher, so that the piston cannot deliver the liquid to be injected through the hollow needle, until the needle-carrying rod has been shifted with said needle after asudden release and has travelled over a length corresponding to the depth of introduction of the needle.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example four preferred embodiments of the invention. In said drawings:

fifihifi b Patented June 25, 1963 ice FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are vertical cross-sections of a first embodiment of the ampulla for different positions of the injection syringe incorporated with the ampulla.

FIG. 4 is, on a slightly larger scale, a vertical crosssection of the safety means provided for the syringe when it is in the position illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates an annular spring forming part of said safety system.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical cross-sections of ampullae according to a second and a third embodiment respectively.

FIG. 8 shows any of the ampullae described, which ampullae are outwardly all similar, said FIG. 8 showing the ampulla in true size in its closed condition.

FIG. 9 is .a vertical cross-section of the ampulla ready for injection, in accordance with a fourth embodiment.

FIG. .10 is a cross-section under similar conditions of the rear portion of the ampulla shown in FIG. 9 after the injection procedure has begun.

The ampulla according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 includes a metal sleeve or socket 10 in the shape of a cartridge, of which the bottom Illa is very thick, whereas the cylindrical section 1% of said socket is thinner. The connection between said bottom :and said cylindrical section forms a rfrusto -conical shoulder 10c. {The metal sleeve 10 is slidingly fitted over a guiding member 11a constituted by a hollow cylinder forming part of the actual body of the ampulla and made of synthetic material such as polyethylene for instance, said body 11 being provided at 11b with an extension of the hollow cylinder 11a and enclosing a chamber which tapers towards the free end of said extension.

The restricted opening formed at the narrow end of the chamber in the extension 11b serves as a guide for the hollow needle, as described hereinafter with further detail. Over the extension 11b is screwed a tapped cap 12 provided at its outer periphery with longitudinal grooves, while its edge has a slightly reduced diameter, so that it may engage the inside the protecting sleeve 10 when the cap 12 is screwed home. The bottom of said tapped cap 12 which is also made of a suitable synthetic material is provided with an inner central projection 12a engaging, when the cap 12 is thus positioned, the outwardly flaring opening at the outer end of the extension 11b, so that said central projection may close last-mentioned opening fluidtightly. In the hollow cylindrical section 11a of the ampulla body 11, is mounted slidingly a piston 18, preferably of rubber, provided with a central bore inside which extends the rod 14 carrying the needle, said rod starting from the bottom 10a of the protecting sleeve 10; said rod carries at its front end the actual injection needle 15 provided with a sharp tip. The inner chamber enclosing the injection liquid which isnot illustrated, lies above the piston 13 and is bounded by the sections 11a and 11b of the body -11 of the ampulla. The access into the hollow needle 15 is obtained through a port 14w provided in the corresponding extreme section of the rod 14, while the wall of the hollow needle 15 is interrupted in registry with said port 14a. When the ampulla is inoperative, the hollow needle 15 lies fully inside the body of the ampulla 11. At the same time, the port 1 m provided in the rod 14 for access into the hollow needle, is located inside the bore-in the piston 13, so that it is impossible for the injection liquid to pass into said needle out of the chamber containing said liquid. The ueedle-carryingrod 14 engages through its end opposed to the hollow needle a small pedestal 16 carried by the bottom of the protecting socket 10 and it is secured to said pedestal by a transverse pin 17. Said pedestal 16 is engagedby one end of the compression spring 18, of whichthe other end engages a disc-shaped stop 19. The needle-carrying rod 14 is provided furthermore in its central section with a peripheral groove 14b inside which an annular spring 20 is engaged as long as the ampulla is inoperative, said annular spring illustrated separately in FIG. including for its engagement in said groove 14b two arms 2.0a which are folded and bent into registry with each other. On the needle-carrying rod 14 is mounted furthermore between said annular spring 20 and the piston 13, a safety member 21 (FIG. 4) in the shape of a disc holding said spring 20 in position, said safety disc being provided with elastic arms 21a directly downwardly and bent so as to form safety noses 21b. When the ampulla is inoperative, said noses 21b extend beyond the outer edge of the cylindrical section 11a of the body of the ampula 11, which prevents any outward projection of the piston under the action of the spring 18 acting through the stop 19 and disc 21.

When it is desired to execute an injection with the ampulla which has just been described, the procedure is as follows:

The cap 12 being first removed, the front end of the ampulla is urged against the point of the patients body at which the injection is to be performed, and a pressure is exerted in an axial direction on the protecting sleeve 10. Consequently, said sleeve is urged forwardly over the cylindrical section 11a of the ampulla body 11, while the spring 18 is simultaneously compressed. Thus, the needle-carrying rod 14 is urged outwardly together with the hollow needle 15.

The annular spring 20 opposes first said shifting, since said spring engages the peripheral groove 14b on the rod 14. When the pressure exerted on the protecting sleeve is increased, said annular spring is suddenly released with reference to the peripheral groove 14b, so that the entire pressure exerted by hand on the protecting sleeve 1t? and which is reinforced by the energy of the compression spring 18 acting through the discs 19 and 21, is

exerted on the rod 14. Consequently, the point of the patients body which is to receive the injection is subjected suddenly to the action of the hollow needle 15. As already described hereinabove, the narrow opening in the extension 11b of the ampulla body serves at such a moment as a guide for the hollow needle 15. At the same time, the port 14a providing an access into the hollow needle, is urged suddenly beyond the bore in the piston 13; the port thus uncovered allows a passage into the needle of the injection liquid contained in the inner chamber of the ampulla body 11. The pressure applied on the protecting sleeve 10 continues then being exerted against the action of the compression spring '18 until the a-mpulla assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 2, for which the hollow needle engages the body of the patient who is to receive the injection down to the medically defined depth. The maximum depth of injection is limited by the fact that the needle-carrying rod 14 engages through its front end a stop constituted by the inner frusto-conical wall of the extension 11b of the ampulla body 11, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. Under the action of the increasing compression, the safety noses 21b on the elastic arms 21a of the safety member 21 are released with reference to the lower edge of the cylindrical section 11a of the ampulla body 11, whereby hence-forward the energy produced by the expansion of the compression spring 18 is exerted on the piston 13; the latter is thus urged forwardly and delivers the injection liquid through the hollow needle which has engaged the patients body, while a predetermined residual amount of liquid is left inside the syringe. Thus, the injection procedure is at an end and, furthermore, as described hereinabove, the actual injection can be executed only when the hollow needle has engaged the patients body down to the maximum depth provided When the axial pressure exerted on the protecting sleeve 10 is cut out at the end of said injection, the compression spring 13 urges the small pedeStal 16 rearwardly and, consequently, therewith the proreleases suddenly the locking noses 30a.

tecting sleeve 10; the needle-carrying rod 14 together with the hollow needle 15 are also urged rearwardly thereby, so that the needle collapses again within the body of the ampull-a. The patient has no opportunity, either before or after the injection, of ascertaining the presence of the hollow needle 15.

The ampulla illustrated in FIG. 6 is similar in its general structure and in its operation with that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. However, the annular spring 24 and the peripheral groove 14b associated with the latter are replaced by other safety means constituted, in the case of FIG. 6, by a spherical end 25a of the needle-carrying rod 25 and by a correspondingly shaped expansion of the boreformed in the piston 26 made of elastic material. In this case also, an axial compression has to be exerted on the protecting sleeve so as to urge suddenly in a forward direction the needle-carrying rod 25 with the hollow needle 27, this sudden movement being provided by the fact that the spherical end 25a of the rod 25 has first to overcome the resistance opposed by the corresponding section of the piston, after which it projects suddenly beyond the bore in the piston. The engagement of the needle with a point of the patients body is thus performed in a manner similar to that described hereinabove, and it is only when the hollow needle 27 has actually reached the previously defined depth of penetration that the piston 26 is urged forwardly under the action of the expanding compression spring 18, so as to deliver the injection liquid into the hollow needle 27. The maximum engagement of 'the needle 27 is defined by the fact that the spherical end of the needle-carrying rod 25 engages at the end of its forward movement the end of the chamber in the ampulla body, which end is provided with a narrow opening, as in the case of FIGS. 1 to 3.

.32 introduced into the lower end of the body 33 of the ampulla, said guiding sleeve being closed at its lower end. Between the pedestal 3i) and the bottom of the guiding sleeve 32, there is provided an auxiliary compression spring 35 subjected to a preliminary stressing. The sudden engagement of the hollow needle in the patients "body, is performed, in this case, by the pressure exerted axially on the protecting sleeve 3 which Consequently, the small pedestal 30 is urged suddenly forwardly .by the expansion of the compression spring 35 and the engagement of the hollow needle in the patients body is ensured under dry conditions. Said axial compression exerted on the protecting sleeve ensures a forward shifting of the guiding sleeve 32. and there-fore of the piston 36, which atter, when the engagement has been small pedestal 3! which is urged in the meantime into contact with the piston 36. In such a syringe, the hollow needle remains in its projecting position after the actual injection has been brought to an end.

FIG. 8 illustrates in true size the ampulla of the abovedescribed types in its closed position.

The :ampul'la according to FIGS. 9 and 10 corresponds in its general structure with the embodiments already described; it is provided with a metal sleeve 40 in the shape of a cartridge sliding over the body of the ampulla made of synthetic material and constituted,

for reasons of injecting techniques, by two interconnected elements, the rear element being shown at 41 and the front element at 42. Said ampulla body forms also, as precedingly, a gmide for a piston 43 inside the axial bore of which the needle-carrying rod 44 of the injection needle 45 extends. Said rod 44 is provided with an input port 44a opening in its front hollow section. In thiscase, the rear element of the ampulla body is provided with a particular structure showing three longitudinal. slots 4111, while its rear end is of a slightly reduced diameter.

Said. rear element includes furthermore an inner guidin projection 41b in the shape of a hollow cylinder out- Wardly carrying the compression spring 46. A plug 47 "engaging inwardly said hollow projection 41b, includes at its front end a flange 47a which is engaged by the corresponding end of the compression spring 46. Said plug 47 carries at its rear end two hook-shaped springs 48 anchored in said plug and the outer ends of which are held by the enclosing guiding projection 41b in engagernent with'the rear end of a reduced diameter of the rod 44 carrying the needle 4'5, as illustrated in FIG. 9. The flange 47a carries a disc 49 showing, as in the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, elastic tongues directed rearwardly, 49a, and terminating with looking noses 49b. In the position illustrated in FIG. 9

and corresponding to the preparation of the injection,

said noses 49b projecting beyond the slots 4%, hold thus the compression spring 46 in its set position.

For the execution of an injection with an ampulla according to FIGS. 9 and 10, the procedure is similar to that described hereinabove. The ampulla being in the condition illustrated in FIG. 9, has its front end engaging a point of the patients body which is to receive the injection. This being done, the operator pushes forwardly through his thumb the rear end of the metal sleeve 40 and the pressure thus exerted is first absorbed by the auxiliary spring S ll-inserted between the bottom hook-shaped'springs 48 engaging the needle-carrying rod 44, drive it outwardly to produce a sudden engagement of the patients body by the needle 45 at the desired point. As soon as the hook-shapedsprings 48 reach a position beyond the front end of the guiding projection 41!), they are spaced, as illustrated in FIG. so as to out out-any coupling with the rear extension of the needleoarrying rod. This prevents any further movement of the needle-carrying rod 44, the port 44a in which has executed a relative movement with reference to the piston 43, so that it is now released and uncovered, while the needle 45 has reached the previously medically defined depth of penetration. The compression spring 46 acts now with its residual. expansion energy on the piston 43, so as to deliver the injection liquid.

The advantages ofsai-d ampulla with reference to the preceding-1y described embodiments consist in that the introduction of the needle and the injection of liquid through the needle which follows immediately said engagement, are. ensured perfectly through the agency of a single compression spring, of which the maximum expansion serves for the execution of the sudden introduction-of the needle, while the residual expansion serves for obtaining the delivery of theliquid through the needle.

WhatI claimis:

1. A. combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a. cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position and provided with a blind bore, a hollow needle fitted inside said blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means adapted to communicate the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position thereof, a control sleeve slidably mounted on the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement thereof, said sleeve is adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore to make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, a member inserted between said spring and the piston and adapted to be moved forwardly by said compression spring to make the piston move forwardly and urge the liquid in the chamber into the forwardly projecting needle, and an elastic system having means normally engaging said rod and said body for releasably locking said rod and last-mentioned member in position and rendered adapted to release said rod and member upon forward movement of the sliding control sleeve to obtain in succession the forward projection of the needle and the forward movement of the piston.

2. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprisinga cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position, a hollow needle fitted inside a blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve is adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, 3. disc fitted over the rod to the rear of the piston and the rear surface of which is subjected to the pressure of the compression spring, dual elastic safety means carried by said disc, engaging respectively the rod to oppose transiently the forward movement of the latter and the body to prevent the spring from acting through the disc on the piston and adapted to be released in succession by the forward move- :ment of the control sleeve.

3. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising acylindric-al body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position, a hollow needle fitted inside a blind bore of the rod and the tip of which register-s normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted positionof said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve is adapted to urge the rod forwardlyalong the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a support rigidly interconnecting the rear outer ends of the control sleeve and of the needlecarrying rod, a compression spring bearing in said support, a disc fitted over the rod to the rear of the piston and the rear surface of which is subjected to the pressure of the compression spring, dual elastic safety means carried by said disc, engaging respectively the rod to oppose transiently the forward movement of the latter and the body to prevent the spring from acting through the disc on the piston and adapted to be released in succession by the forward movement of the control sleeve.

4. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position, a hollow needle fitted inside a blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement thereof, said sleeve is adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a support rigidly interconnecting the rear outer ends of the control sleeve and of the needle-carrying rod, a compression spring bearing in said support, a disc fitted over the rod to the rear of the piston and the rear surface of which is subjected to the pressure of the compression spring, the above-mentioned rod being furthermore provided with a peripheral groove at a point to the rear of the piston for the normal position of the rod, an annular spring surrounding the rod and including two intumed terminal sections engaging the peripheral groove in said rod, means holding said spring normally against longitudinal movement to oppose transiently the forward movement of the rod under the action of the forward movement of the control sleeve, and means engaging said body for releasably locking the disc against longitudinal movement and adapted to be released by the control sleeve upon forward shifting thereof by a predetermined amount.

5. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position and provided with a blind bore at its front end and with a radial port opening into said blind bore at a point lying underneath inside the piston bore, a hollow needle fitted inside said blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, said needle being provided with a radial port cooperating permanently with the radial port in the rod to form therewith a passageway for the liquid in the chamber into the needle for the forwardly shifted position of the needle and rod, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve is adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, a member inserted between said spring and the piston and adapted to be moved forwardly by said compression spring to make the piston move forwardly and urge the liquid in the chamber into the forwardly projecting needle, and an elastic system engaging respectively said rod and last-mentioned member in position and adapted to release said rod and member upon forward movement of the sliding control sleeve to obtain in succession the forward projection of the needle and the forward movement of the piston.

6. A combined ampulla and injection syring comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position, a hollow needle fitted inside a blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve is adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section, into its operative position, a compres sion spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, a member inserted between said spring and the piston and adapted to be moved forwardly by said compression spring to make the piston move forwardly and urge the liquid in the chamber into the forwardly projecting needle, an elastic system respectively engaging said rod and last-mentioned member in position and adapted to release the said rod and member upon forward movement of the sliding control sleeve to obtain in succession the forward projection of the needle and the forward movement of the piston, a cap threadedly engaging the body and covering the opening to the front of the section of the body and the peripheral edge of which is adapted to engage the inner surface of the front edge of the control sleeve.

7. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into-the outer surface of the body, a piston of elastic material closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore including an enlarged section, a rod adapted to move inside the bore betweena normal position and a forwardly shifted position and provided with a blind bore, including an enlarged section normally engaging the enlarged section of the bore in the piston, a hollow needle fitted inside said blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to urge the enlarged section of the rod out of the enlarged section of the piston bore to shift the rod forwardly along the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly along the plston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a support rigidly interconnecting the rear outer ends of the control sleeve and of the needle-carrying rod, a compression spring bearing on said support, a disc fitted over the rod to the rearof the piston and the rear surface of which is subjected to the pressure of the compression spring, and means engaging said body for releasably locking the disc against longitudinal movement and adapted to be released by the control sleeve upon forward shifting thereof by a predetermined amount.

8. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprisinga cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by arear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface ofthe body,1a piston closing the rearcnd of the liquid-filled chamber, "slidin'gly'carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and'provided with an axial bore, a rodadapted to move inside the bore between a normal positionuand. aforwardly shifted position, a hollow needle fitte'd inside .abli-ndbore of the rod and the tipof whichre-gisters normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle-withsaid chamber in the shifted :position ,of said needle, a. control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, an inner sleeve engaging the rear surface of thepiston, provided with lateral perforations, means connecting said rod to said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve being adapted to be urged forwardly by the control sleeve after a predetermined travel to shift forwardly the rod connected thereto along the piston bore and to malce the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, a disc secured to the rod to the rear of the piston and the rear surface of which is subjected to the pressure of the compression spring, elastic tongues rigid with said disc extending normally through the lateral perforations in the inner sleeve to hold the disc at a distance from the piston, means carried by the control sleeve urging said tongues inwardly of said perforations upon application of a thrust on the control sleeve to release the disc and rod system and to allow the compression spring to shift said disc and rod system forwardly before the shifting of the inner sleeve and piston by the control sleeve.

9. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, .a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position and provided with a blind bore, a hollow needle fitted inside said blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body, means connecting said rod to said inner sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore to make the needle project forward-1y of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, a member slidingly fitted over the rod to the rear of and at a distance from the piston and subjected to the thrust of the compression spring, dual elastic means engaging said body for normally holding said member in a predetermined longitudinal position with reference to the body and to the rod, means carried by the control sleeve and adapted to release said member with reference to the body to allow the spring to urge said member forwardly with the rod, and means whereby the rod when in its forwardly shifted position, is released with reference to said member and allows the latter to engage the piston and urge it forwardly.

10. A combined ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, slidingly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move'inside thebore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position and provided with a blind bore, a hollow needle fitted inside said blind bore of the'rod and the tip of which registhe forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the pistonbore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement -of the control sleeve, an inner tubular guiding-element rigid with the rear end 'of the body, opening at its frontend, a member slidingly fitted over the rodand insidesaid guiding element, and subjected to the thrust of the compression spring, dual elastic means having means engaging said body for normally holding said member in a predetermined longitudinal position with reference to the body and to the rod, means carried by the control sleeve and adapted to release said member withreference to the body to allow the spring to urge said member forwardly with the rod, and means whereby the rod, when it is in its forwardly shifted position, is released with reference to said member and allows the latter to engage the piston and urge it forwardly.

11. A combined :ampulla and injection syringe, comprising a cylindrical body enclosing a liquid-filled chamber, constituted by a rear cylindrical section and a forwardly tapering front section opening at its front end into the outer surface of the body, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, sli-diugly carried inside the cylindrical section of the body and provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move inside the bore between a normal position and a forwardly shifted position and provided with a blind bore, a hollow needle fitted inside said blind bore of the rod and the tip of which registers normally with the opening of the tapering section, means for communicating the hollow of said needle with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted over the cylindrical body means connecting said rod to said inner sleeve so that on the forward movement of the sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to urge the rod forwardly along the piston bore and make the needle project forwardly of the opening of the tapering section into its operative position, a compression spring subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, an inner tubular guiding element rigid with the rear end of the body, opening at its front end, a member slidably fitted over the rod and inside said guiding element, and subjected to the thrust of the compression spring, hook-shaped springs secured to the rear end of the sliding member, said latter spring being extended into said guiding element for releasably engaging said rod to hold the rod in its normal position, tongues carried by said member and normally engaging the rear edge of the body to hold thereby the member in a stationary position with reference to said body, said tongues having protruding projections, inner projections on the control sleeve adapted, upon forward shifting of the latter, to engage said tongue projections to release said tongues and allow the compression spring to move the sliding member forwardly with the rod and to set the hook-shaped springs in a position to the front of the guiding member where they expand and release the rod, the continued expansion of the compression spring urging the piston forwards.

12. A combined ampulla and injection syringe comprising a body for enclosing a liquid-filled chamber having an opening at its front end, a piston closing the rear end of the liquid-filled chamber, said piston being slidably carried within said body, the piston being provided with an axial bore, a rod adapted to move within said bore between a normal inoperative position and a forwardly shifted operative position, a hollow needle fitted in the end of said rod, the tip of said needle being normally disposed in registry with and guided by the opening in the forward end of said body, means connecting the hollow of the needle in communication with said chamber in the shifted position of said needle, a control sleeve slidably mounted on said body, means connecting said rod to said sleeve so that on the forward movement of said sleeve the rod is urged forwardly throughv the piston bore to make the needle connected thereto project forwardly of the opening in the end of the body and into its operative position, spring means subjected to the forward movement of the control sleeve, a member inserted between said spring and said piston, said member being adapted to be moved forwardly upon actuation of said control sleeve to urge said piston forwardly thereby forcing a liquid in said chamber into .the forwardly projecting needle through said means connecting said needle in communication with saidchamber, and an elastic lock- 10 the liquid in said chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,832,339 Sarnoif et a1. Apr. 29, 1958 15 2,866,458 Hein Dec. 30, 1958 2,940,446 Hein June 1 960 

1. A COMBINED AMPULLA AND INJECTION SYRINGE, COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BODY ENCLOSING A LIQUID-FILLED CHAMBER CONSTITUTED BY A REAR CYLINDRICAL SECTION AND A FORWARDLY TAPERING FRONT SECTION OPENING AT ITS FRONT END INTO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE BODY, A PISTON CLOSING THE REAR END OF THE LIQUID-FILLED CHAMBER SLIDINGLY CARRIED INSIDE THE CYLINDRICAL SECTION OF THE BODY AND PROVIDED WITH AN AXIAL BORE, A ROD ADAPTED TO MOVE INSIDE THE BORE BETWEEN A NORMAL POSITION AND A FORWARDLY SHIFTED POSITION AND PROVIDED WITH A BLIND BORE, A HOLLOW NEEDLE FITTED INSIDE SAID BLIND BORE OF THE ROD AND THE TIP OF WHICH REGISTERS NORMALLY WITH THE OPENING OF THE TAPERING SECTION, MEANS ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE THE HOLLOW OF SAID NEEDLE WITH SAID CHAMBER IN THE SHIFTED POSITION THEREOF, A CONTROL SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE CYLINDRICAL BODY, MEANS CONNECTING SAID ROD TO SAID SLEEVE SO THAT ON THE FORWARD MOVEMENT THEREOF, SAID SLEEVE IS ADAPTED TO URGE THE ROD FORWARDLY ALONG THE PISTON BORE TO MAKE THE NEEDLE PROJECT FORWARDLY OF THE OPENING OF THE TAPERING SECTION INTO ITS OPERATIVE POSITION, A COMPRESSION SPRING SUBJECTED TO THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL SLEEVE, A MEMBER INSERTED BETWEEN SAID SPRING AND THE PISTON AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED FORWARDLY BY SAID COMPRESSION SPRING TO MAKE THE PISTON MOVE FORWARDLY AND URGE THE LIQUID IN THE CHAMBER INTO THE FORWARDLY PROJECTING NEEDLE, AND AN ELASTIC SYSTEM HAVING MEANS NORMALLY ENGAGING SAID ROD AND SAID BODY FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID ROD AND LAST-MENTIONED MEMBER IN POSITION AND RENDERED ADAPTED TO RELEASE SAID ROD AND MEMBER UPON FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDING CONTROL SLEEVE TO OBTAIN IN SUCCESSION THE FORWARD PROJECTION OF THE NEEDLE AND THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. 